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Uncle Bardie’s Movie of the Week: The Big Fellow

Once a week on Monday, Uncle Bardie shares a movie with his Readers he gives a big two thumbs up. It will simply be a short excerpt or a trailer. From time to time, a reflection on the movie will appear below the video. So pop some popcorn and give yourself a treat. This week’s movie celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day. It is “Michael Collins” (1996):

For seven hundred years, the English had ruled Ireland. For seven hundred years, the English had taken Irish land and given it to English aristocrats. For seven hundred years, the English had starved the Irish. For almost four hundred years, the English did everything they could to stamp out Irish Catholicism.

In the eighteenth century, Jonathan Swift wrote about the English treatment in his great satirical treatise, “A Modest Proposal”. To escape the starvation of the Great Hunger in the nineteenth century, Irish left their homeland in the millions for a better life in America and Australia and other refuges.

Still the English would continue to rule the Emerald Isle but for one man. Michael Collins. Michael Collins made a successful revolution against the English.

Like Denzel Washington with Malcolm X, Liam Neeson has done the impossible. He has brought a great man out of the mythologies and down to earth.